


It was supposed to be a simple ritual.

by CyanEmpire



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:20:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26592793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyanEmpire/pseuds/CyanEmpire
Summary: A girl in love with a boy she never thinks she could actually have realises that her desire to have him is far far outweighed by her desire to be his.Characters bumped up by two years.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter, Tracey Davis/Daphne Greengrass
Comments: 3
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

Some had called her the brightest witch of her age, others had called her a certifiable genius, those people were actually incorrect she was in fact merely highly gifted, and only just qualified for MENSA. The most important thing for Hermione Jean Granger though, was that Harry Potter called her his friend. The last year at Hogwarts had been eventful for the sixteen year old, not that the two years prior to it had been uneventful or anything. But this last year something had changed something about Harry’s receptiveness to her physical affection.

Hermione was frankly worried though. She had been analysing events surrounding both her and her best friend for the last three years. She had broken down the events into various forms of data, the data in particular that worried her was what happened when she, Harry and that prat Ronald were split up by various forces. She had worked out that unless one of the three of them was the one to make the decision or perform the action that split them, she and Harry would be separated. This was concerning, was some outside force trying to separate her and Harry?

She had been reading in the library after she and Harry had rescued Sirius, and there was a way to make sure that couldn’t happen. This method however, she regarded as ethically ambiguous, and certainly not in line with the ideals of the twentieth century, especially the progress made by women. Hermione crossed her legs on her bed and closed her eyes; she had changed her mind back and forth on this topic constantly. There was nothing for it, she snapped her eyes open; her seventeenth birthday was coming up soon, a perfect date for personal ritual sacrifice.

And with that final thought her hand slid inside her jeans as she pictured green eyes.

**~~~**

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was at a loss, according to Sirius Black’s Veritaserum testimony and Albus’s own Legilimency scans; he wasn’t the secret keeper of the Potters, it was indeed Peter Pettigrew as Harry, Remus and Miss Granger had claimed.

Incredibly Pettigrew was still alive, at large and had been living in the Castle for the last three years. How had there been an additional person at Hogwarts for three years without him appearing on soul mapping matrix? The ward system was compromised, at minimum soul detection wards were being interfered with, that much was obvious. This, ruminated Albus, was part of the base level of the castle wards, so many other wards would have to be removed to even get there, and such a feat would essentially break the entire ward system; who knows how long that would take to repair?

But what worried the Headmaster of Hogwarts most was that there seemed to be a third player in the battle for the soul of magical Britain, what their goals were however remained a mystery? How else would Sirius have gotten the idea that Albus had been the one to cast the fidelius charm? How else had that article about Sirius Black’s trial appeared in the Prophet all those years ago, when according to Director Bones, there was no record of a trial just as Sirius had claimed?

All these concerns had meant that Dumbledore was going to have to call on an old friend to teach defence this year.

**~~~**

Madame Director Amelia Bones was a serious woman. She wasn’t always this way however, the death of her fiancé at the climax of the blood war had left her less accepting of tomfoolery than she had been in her youth. This serious woman was currently waiting for the only man in service to her department that was more serious than Madame Bones was. Alastor ‘mad eye’ Moody was, well to call him paranoid was a bit of an understatement but he was definitely serious. It was for this serious man that Madame Bones was waiting.

“Alastor,” Bones greeted the man who entered the room.

“Madam Director” the grim looking man replied to the woman in front of him.

“You remember how your friend Dumbledore requested that you teach at Hogwarts this year?”

“Yes ma’am”

“I want you to accept it” Bones said. A sour look crossed Moody’s face “I was speaking to Fudge. According to him Harry Potter was confunded by Sirius Black to believe that Black was not given a Trial, nor actually responsible for the deaths of Pettigrew nor those muggles in eighty one, nor was he apparently the secret keeper for James and Lily Potter.” 

Moody gave the Director a look “ma’am I know you were close to those events but…”

“Alastor” Bones interrupted “I checked the files; there is no record of a trial”

Moody looked thoughtful, “Have you told Fudge?”

“Of course not, with Black’s kiss on sight order in effect Lucius Malfoy believes his son will inherit the suspended Black seat at its conclusion. Fudge will likely brush it under the rug as a favour to his greatest patron.”

“You want me to speak to Potter about this, see if the confundus narrative has any legitimacy?” Alastor asked catching on to the Director’s plan

Bones gave a sharp nod “indeed, teaching at Hogwarts is your cover, find out what’s going on with the Black case. Also I want you to sniff around the following students” she glanced briefly at a piece of parchment “fourth years Hermione Granger and Justin Fitch-Fletchey as well as third year Colin Creevy. According to my niece all three of them were petrified a couple of years ago. According to her own limited investigations nobody knows how.”

“Three students were petrified and the DMLE wasn’t allowed to investigate?” Alastor asked incredulously “I’d have thought the parents would have kicked up a fuss at least.”

Bones raised an eyebrow

“Ahh,” Moody said, “muggleborns, Parents couldn’t do shit”

“So, are you ready to retire from training recruits master auror Moody?” asked the Director of the DMLE

A grin split mad eye’s face “Well I am getting along a bit now aren’t I, look after young Nymphadora for me will you?”

Bones nodded “She holds a lot of promise. The highest Flamels recorded in an Auror for over a century.”

**~~~**

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was currently out for the summer, and as such it was time for planning for the next school year. This upcoming year was going to be more troublesome than usual thanks to this fool tournament; it was the perfect target for Tom. That was why he’d invited his old friend Alastor Moody to teach defence this year, to put his paranoia to good use. If the tournament could go ahead as it had been planned it should help unify the school, one representative for Hogwarts to rally around. Ideally a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, as a Slytherin or Gryffindor would further divide the school.

Albus drummed his fingers on the desk. Tom had been quiet since the incident with the stone in ’94 but this? Dumbledore was sure Voldemort would interfere with the spirit of international cooperation, certainly something that could actually unify all four houses. At least Albus would have Alastor on site to help secure the event, his agreement to teach Defence this year was one of the few boons he’d been granted since the business with the Chamber.

“Albus, Albus are you listening to me?”

“Hmm, what was it you said Minerva?” Asked the aged headmaster of the premier magical school in Britain

Minerva McGonagall the deputy headmistress looked reproachfully at her friend and employer “I said, do you think that this tournament is truly a wise idea?”

“No I don’t Minerva, but the Ministry is dead set on sports and games for this year, in order to and I quote ‘lift the spirit of the nation’ according to Cornelius. Resurrecting the Triwizard Tournament has been something of a pet project of his, I have a feeling he believes hosting it the same year as Britain hosts the World Cup is going to be an economic stimulus in the form of tourist money to make up for the tax cuts that he implemented last year.“

Pompona Sprout, the schools herbology professor nodded in agreement “It was rather short sighted of Fudge to cut capital gains.”

“I think it was a good move tactically for the election in a couple of years” Severus Snape the Sallow faced potions professor commented. “I imagine that with the cash influx from the foreign tourists any economic problems will be postponed until the next term, in which he will be re-elected. Fudge getting a third term will mean he’ll qualify for the life pension. But until those problems crop up, the Prophet will run with the narrative that cutting taxes helps everyone. Of course Lucius has likely promised him a directorship at one of his companies on top of that; the move was quite Slytherin for a man who’d been a Hufflepuff”

“Why’d you have to bring up political manoeuvres Albus?” Professor Flitwick asked “You know how he gets” he said gesturing towards Snape.

Snape sniffed “It’s not my fault you people can’t appreciate a well executed plot.”

“Severus” sighed the venerable headmaster “please restrain your enthusiasm for political manoeuvres for the rest of the meeting.”

McGonagall harrumphed “Yes well, back to the topic of this meeting. What are we to do about the Defence professor?”

The headmaster’s eyes twinkled “Never fear Minerva, I have a plan for that.”

**~~~**

A folder slammed down on the desk of junior auror Nymphadora Tonks. The young woman looked up sharply at the interruption to her work.

“You alright rookie?” senior auror Gawain Robards asked from the other side of the folder “Dawlish and Williamson will be covering the east side of the stadium, you and me the west. Shacklebolt has overwatch and overall on site command”

Tonks blinked owlishly at the senior auror “Wait, what?” the pink haired young woman exclaimed “You saying neither Bonesie nor Scrim are running security at what’s probably going to be the biggest event of the year?”

“Apparently not, Fudge wants to impress the foreign dignitaries with ministry leadership or some such. Bones, Scrimgeour and Thickness have to play politician.” Robards replied

“What, is the whole Wizingamot snubbing the world cup or something?”

“No, not quite all of it; your uncle Lucius will be there.”

Tonks pulled a face

Robards moved slightly closer then whispered conspiratorially “though I hear so much of the Wizingamot won’t be showing up, that they have to wheel out some senior unspeakables to make up for those that are. The grey cloaks ain’t happy about it at all”

“Merlin, that’s not good. Fudge’s support from the House is that bad?”

“Yeah, stationing a bunch of dementors at the school all their kids and grandkids go to wasn’t a popular move.” Gawain grinned for a second before continuing “You’re a bit nobby right? You went to ol hoggy hoggy Hogwarts, you’re a, what’s the word, an aluminus”

“Shut up Gawain. It’s pronounced alumnus, but it’s the wrong word for me as it’s usually applied to males, I’m a girl so I’m an alumna. Oh and I aint a nob, mum might have been born one but I didn’t get in because of mum, I got in because of this.” Tonks cycled her hair through the colours of the rainbow until settling on a particularly vibrant shade of aquamarine.

Robards laughed “My apologies your ladyship, some of us didn’t learn all the ins and outs of nobby talk.”

Tonks glared at him

“It’s amazing someone like you had a git like Cygnus Black for a grandfather. The apple fell quite far from the tree.”

Tonks turned away before muttering “I wouldn’t know”

**~~~**

Daphne Greengrass was bored; bored of these ridiculous summer parties her family was dragged along to, why couldn’t Tracy be here to help alleviate her boredom. She saw a flash of Auburn hair out of the corner of her eyes, she turned and nodded in deference to the approaching Lady presumptive of house Bones.

Susan Amelia Bones, lady protector of her house, and keeper of the Ossuary grimaced “Cut it out Daphne, you know I don’t care for that.”

“Please Susan; you are lady presumptive of house Bones. I am merely an heiress, it is proper I defer to you in public.” Daphne surveyed the room again briefly “I see your retainer is noticeably absent”

Susan glared at the Slytherin witch before her; the house divide was not viewed as an issue at events such as this in their social strata outside of Hogwarts. However their separation at the sorting had somewhat strained their once close friendship.

“You know it would be considered a faux pas to bring Hannah to an event like this, just as it would Tracy.”

“I know. I hate these things; they are such a bore.” Daphne then let out a sly grin “There is one thing that makes this particular event better than they usually are”

“Oh?” Susan raised a sceptical eyebrow “have you become an abolitionist?”

“Funny, but no. Malfoy won’t be at this one apparently, he and his family are guests of the Minister at the world cup”

“Good, he approached me at the last summer ball asking about joining the houses Malfoy and Bones together.” Susan took a sip from the delicate glass she was holding “The fool doesn’t realise I am looking for a morganistic or matrilineal relationship when it comes to the future of house Bones, and even if I were to entertain the idea of a patrilineal relationship, it certainly wouldn’t be with him”

Greengrass nodded at this “That’s expected, with his inflated ego he probably thinks he is doing you a favour by offering a patrilineal marriage. He’s approached me with a similar kind offer before. Considering the matriarch of my house is actually my mother it was quite the insult.” She let out a small smirk “I’ve considered giving the memory of that exchange to Parkinson just to watch her seethe.”

The two young witches stood in companionable silence with one another until Susan spoke up “Oh the sight of Lord Abraxas Vulf reminded me.” Greengrass gave Bones a glance “You know how Professor Lupin is leaving?”

“Naturally” replied Daphne with a sniff “a damn shame though, a competent defence professor is a rare thing according to the older students, terribly inconvenient that he was a werewolf”

“It’s terribly inconvenient it became a matter of public discourse” said Susan. “Well anyway, according to Aunt Amelia; Master Auror Moody is retiring from the DMLE in order to become our defence professor.”

Another smirk crossed the Greengrass heiress’ face “We can just imagine how happy Malfoy and the other children of the people who were ‘imperiused’ into becoming death eaters are going to be with this news. Speaking of news, have you heard about this tournament business at school this year?”

Susan looked speculatively at her friend “No, what tournament business?”

“Come, I’ll tell you as we get some more Prosecco,” said Daphne heading towards the drinks table. “I can’t believe they got rid of their elves; I would have thought the Smith’s would have waited until after they’d hosted the party before turning abolitionist.”

“I know,” Susan replied “the poor thing’s, cut off from their magic like that.”

“I’m surprised Granger hasn’t started a campaign to promote elfish genocide.”

Susan rolled her eyes “Don’t be mean Daphne”

“I’m not, I like the girl; she’s just a bit too into her moral crusades I think, probably why she’s in Gryffindor rather than with the eagles. Now about this tournament…”

**~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that has introduced our main point of view characters; Dumbledore, Amelia Bones, Hermione, Susan Bones, Daphne Greengrass and Tonks.
> 
> As I’m sure people have noticed I’ve bumped up the ages of our characters two years
> 
> Feel free to comment


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione Granger was having second thoughts about her plan; she had almost all the key ingredients for her ritual. The last one though was something that only Harry himself could provide; the worry though, is would he? Would he agree to the ritual at all? She was after all still a bushy haired bucktoothed bookworm, and he was, well he was Harry. Loving, kind, brave, handsome Harry, he could have any girl in the school, he could have several girls at the same time. This was before you even factored in the boy who lived nonsense, why would he want her?

But then her mind wandered back to the hippogriff, and how comfortable she had been on it with him. She hated heights, but there snuggled against his back with him flying over the school had not worried her at all. Her mind wandered back to the overheard conversation between Lavender and Parvati where they had been pairing up the girls in the dorm with boys in the school. Apparently the letters HJP were enough and that ‘she could never love any boy as much as she obviously loves Harry’ according to Parvati. It would be a place in Harry’s heart, maybe not first or even second or third, but a place. It was that or a miserable marriage to someone safe.

“No” Hermione said out loud, before muttering “I’d rather be Harry’s tertiary mistress or something”

Her mind made up she quickly descended the stairs to the Gryffindor common room and pulled Harry up from the couch he was sitting on.

Harry blinked “Err what’s going on ‘mione?”

“Harry I need your help with something, it’s to do with that thing I asked you about over summer.”

Harry looked at her blankly

“For my birthday, remember?” She looked around the room awkwardly for a moment “Oh, actually can you go retrieve your cloak? I don’t really want people to find us.”

“Yeah, sure, err I’ll grab the map too.”

Hermione’s face brightened “Oh yes please, that’ll be a big help.”

Several minutes later Harry returned “I had to brush Ron off” he whispered to her “you said he wasn’t to know about this, err, thing right?”

Hermione blushed “Certainly not, I don’t want Ronald to learn of this, well, ever hopefully; but definitely not until after we’ve actually done it.”

“But what are we doing Hermione? You still haven’t told me.”

“You’ll find out in a few minutes Harry, now come on.” She said grasping his hand and pulling him towards the common room exit.

**~~~**

Nymphadora Tonks stood awkwardly outside the office of Amelia Bones. She replayed the events over again in her head; the world cup had ended with a Death Eater attack, and the Dark Mark in the sky. It was a good thing it had happened in Dawlish and Williamson’s patrol and not her and Robards’; she didn’t need that mark on her file. That had happened three weeks ago though, why had Bonesie summoned her to her office now? Scrim had called her the rising star of the DMLE which no matter which way you looked at it sounded like a good thing. Shack had recommended her for an official commendation due to her response to ‘the world cup incident’ as the prophet had called it; She snorted. ‘Incident’ the bloody Dark Mark was up in the sky, people were wearing Death Eater robes in public for fucks sake!

She was pulled from her musings by Bones’ secretary

“Auror Tonks, the Director will see you now.”

Amelia Bones was sitting behind her desk drumming her fingers on it and staring out the window. Tonks always marvelled at this; that underground there were windows that gave the illusion they were on the third floor across the road from Westminster Palace. Someone had told her that due to spatial expansion charms, the main Wizingamot chambers were actually underneath the House of Lords’ Chambers.

“Auror Tonks what do you make of this.” Bones said holding out a piece of Parchment

Tonks took the parchment which turned out to be a letter from Alastor Moody “Err, it’s a letter from Mad Eye”

Bones turned from the window and fixed the young Auror with a steely expression. “So it appears. What’s wrong with it?”

Tonks scanned the letter again. “I can’t see any of his normal code words; he also appears to brush off whatever you wrote to him about, in favour of talking about security for the tournament.”

Bones gave the young auror a sharp nod “Indeed”

“Ma’am what’s this all about?”

“You were seven years old on Halloween in nineteen eighty one.” Bones stated “You are the daughter of a disowned daughter of house black. Did you interact with Sirius Black as a child?”

Tonks blinked, where had that come from? “I did, he was quite different from the way the papers portrayed him after that night.”

“I knew him fairly well before that night too.” Bones said “So this is what’s wrong with the letter Moody sent back. He was sent to Hogwarts as a double agent, I trust him, Dumbledore trusts him; I don’t trust people with more than two middle names, certainly not names like Wulfric or Percival so he was a decent go between. Alastor was supposed to be investigating Harry Potter and the claim that Sirius Black was innocent of all the charges that landed him in Azkaban.”

“Why are you telling _me_ this ma’am?”

Bones sighed “Because Tonks, I want you to go back to school.”

“But…”

Bones held up her hand “What I’m about to say you are not to repeat so long as I am the Director, am I understood?” at Tonks’ nod she continued “Sirius Black never had a trial, at least there’s no ministerial record of one; before you ask Dumbledore contacted me asking about Black’s trial records. Fudge told me that Harry Potter told him that Peter Pettigrew is still alive; Fudge, of course, believes that Potter was confunded. In addition to that, the year after you left the school there was an epidemic of muggleborn petrifications; four students, three of which are still in Hogwarts, one of which, according to my niece, is extremely close to Potter. I sent Moody there to investigate this, of course him helping with security at the Tournament was a plus.”

“So you want me to go to Hogwarts and investigate this Ma’am?”

“Yes, understand however, you won’t be wearing red robes, you won’t have a badge. To be honest, this is a lot to ask someone who’s actual experience is barely measured in months, _especially_ since this is not official. You have every right to turn me down, you should turn me down. Frankly, you are risking your career if you agree to do this; I shouldn’t ask I almost didn’t.”

Bones paused for a moment before continuing “You are uniquely gifted to be a transfer student, to go there and be sorted into Gryffindor as a fourth year. To wade through this muck and find out the truth, to want Black to be innocent as it appears he might be;” then finishing in almost a whisper “to look out for a young man, who, in a different world, I would have had a hand in raising.”

“Right so I shouldn’t engage Mad Eye directly ‘cause of the dodgy letter, maybe drop hints about who I am using some of the code he taught me instead.”

“Yes, there’s a possibility that he’s under the Imperious Curse, or someone has obliviated him of his investigative objectives considering the oddness with the letter, investigating Alastor is another objective for you.”

“Ok should I send updates to you via your niece? It makes more sense if… err Susan right?”

“Susan Amelia Bones, fourth year Hufflepuff I’ll give you her schedule”

“Nice named after you then?”

“We’re both named after my mother. And yes it makes more sense that my niece would write to me regularly rather than some transfer student. That’ll help keep your cover for a while at least.”

**~~~**

Hermione and Harry both under the cloak arrived at their destination

“This is where we are going Hermione, a broom closet?”

The girl raised a finger to her lips in the universal symbol of ‘be quiet’ before casting a few muttered spells.

“There we are.” Hermione stated “we are now silenced and shouldn’t be interrupted as I’ve applied a notice me not charm on the door.”

“Alright what’s the big secret then? Why are we here?”

“Um” Hermione replied beginning to blush “As you know, tomorrow is my birthday, and I’m turning seventeen.”

Harry looked at her in disbelief “That’s not much of a secret”

“Oh honestly Harry, do you know why we do our OWLs after we turn seventeen?”

Harry shrugged “I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Well on the seventeenth anniversary of our birth we go through what’s called a magical majority, consider it a magical growth spurt.”

“Ok, sure” replied Harry cautiously

Hermione nodded “For a period of roughly twelve hours either side of the seventeenth anniversary of the exact moment of our birth, oh in solar years rather than calendar years obviously. Anyway for this period we are, well you could call us magically, um unstable I guess, though it doesn’t actually affect our spell casting at all. You see the reason it’s roughly twelve hours is that the position of Jupiter seems to affect it somehow; this makes me think that it’s the solar system’s barycentre that’s important rather than the actual sun, which in turn means that there may be a whole unexplored field of research involving the effects of gravity on magic…”

“Hermione, I think we’re getting a bit sidetracked here.”

“Don’t be silly Harry; this is completely relevant to what we are going to be doing tomorrow. Anyway, during this roughly twenty four hour period there are certain rituals that you can do that are particularly effective.”

“And you err want to do one of these, with me?”

“Yes Harry, I can’t imagine trusting any other male to do this ritual with.”

“Oh ok… wait male?”

“Yes Harry, male, the person who helps me perform the ritual has to be a male. I’d have to very foolish if I were to have a male I didn’t trust implicitly perform the ritual I have planned with me.”

Harry looked at her for a moment “I feel like you’re beating around a bush”

“Harry it’s _sex_ ” she blurted out “You are going to _penetrate_ me, taking my virginity before ejaculating inside me, um well if you agree to anyway.”

Harry’s face went red “Err right um I ah” he said eloquently

“The sacrifice of a virgin’s blood is the actual blood from penetration of the hymen you see.” Said Hermione as she entered lecture mode “If ‘virgin blood’ was just any old blood from someone who hadn’t had sex it would be ridiculously easy to get your hands on it. The ritual itself actually doesn’t require virgin blood; however it can enhance the effects of the ritual.”

“I err you want to have sex with me?”

“Of course I do Harry, during summer you tend to be my main focus when I rub… um forget about that.” Hermione’s face turned a similar shade to Harry’s “Actually on that topic have you noticed that you basically don’t masturbate at Hogwarts? I noticed it in my second year, I wonder if there is a libido suppression potion in the food or a ward or something.”

It seemed that now the cat was out of the bag talking about sex with Harry was easy, far too easy considering she had literally just told him that she mostly thought of him when she played with herself.

“So err tomorrow we are going to have sex?” Harry asked awkwardly before letting out a small smile “I like how you planned out your first sexual experience nearly a month before it actually happened.”

“Oh, no, tomorrow won’t be my first sexual experience.”

Harry looked confused for a second “But you just said before that…”

“No, my first sexual experience is about to happen, and is semi spontaneous actually”

“Err” Harry said just before Hermione’s lips collided with his “mngfh”

Hermione felt Harry’s tongue invade her mouth as stars exploded through her consciousness, Harry not only returned her kiss, he _escalated_ it. Wait was escalated the right word? Perhaps intensified, no deepened maybe? It was irrelevant; she was kissing Harry. Not only that, he was also kissing her back! She felt his hand on the small of her back and pressed her body against his eagerly.

Their lips parted for a moment and she forced herself to pull back from him even though she wanted nothing more than to throw herself at him again. “That was…”

“Yeah” Harry took a step toward her

“Though I’d love to keep doing that, there is actually one more ingredient I need for the ritual Harry, and you are the only person I can get it from”

“Err, ok, what is it?

Hermione’s face flushed red again “your, um, well, your semen actually.”

“Oh, so this is the ‘semi spontaneous’ sexual experience then?” Harry quipped

Hermione grinned “You catch on quick Mr Potter. So drop your trousers I’ll… well I guess I’ll use my hand to you know” she pumped her fist up and down a couple of times.

Harry’s blush returned but that didn’t stop his trousers from finding their way to the floor, followed by Hermione’s hand finding its way to Harry’s manhood

“This isn’t right at all; it’s supposed to be stiff Harry”

“That’s not something I have an enormous amount of control over ‘mione especially with the fluoride in the water or whatever it was you were talking about earlier.”

“Fluoride in the water, honestly Harry, we barely do that in Britain… Oh, right, the theoretical libido suppression magic.” Hermione pondered for a moment “Oh, would you like to see my breasts? Perhaps that will help us get around this obstacle”

Harry nodded eagerly “I’d love to see them”

Hermione decided to make a show of it, swaying to music that only she could hear removing her robes slowly, then her sweater, then loosening her tie before untucking her shirt and revealing her flat belly. On and on this continued until Hermione was kneeling before Harry with her shirt undone exposing her bra clad breasts for Harry.

“Before you ask Harry, not that I think you will though, I’m a 32C.”

“Err what?”

“My bra size is exceedingly average, 32C”

“Oh, err ok”

Hermione looked up into his eyes, as she reached behind her to undo her bra “Lavender says that my nipples are quite puffy though, so there’s that.” Finally, in her peripheral vision she saw it, a twitch; Hermione let out a sly smile “Oh you want to see my puffy nipples Harry?”

~~~

Through a corridor on the seventh floor of the castle walked a pair of witches, but unlike most witches you’d expect to see so at such an elevation in the greatest edifice to education in magical Britain, these two wore robes trimmed in green.

“It’s this way I take it?” asked Daphne Greengrass

Her good friend Tracy Davis had found a room for them to nap in before their Astronomy class that night, apparently the large bed was far, far better than the ones in the snake pit.

“Yes it was somewhere along this corridor” her Tomboyish best friend replied

Tracy Davis was an athletic tanned girl, she had dark brown shoulder length hair drawn into a messy ponytail and hazel coloured eyes, a sharp contrast to Daphne’s more elegant features.

Tall and thin with pale skin and elbow length hair the colour of starlight, Daphne’s stormy blue eyes noticed a broom closet door open. Grabbing Tracy and pulling her behind the nearest suit of armour the two of them watched a well ruffled Hermione Granger exit the closet whilst putting a small jar in her pocket.

The person who emerged after her wasn’t a shock at all, Harry Potter doing up his belt was to be expected, there had been rumours. What wasn’t to be expected however was him drawing out a piece of parchment looking at it then looking directly at the hidden duo with narrowed eyes.

Granger and Potter looked at each other for a moment before Granger called out to them “Greengrass, Davis we know you’re there, no need to hide yourselves.”

Daphne and Tracy glanced at one another before shrugging and stepping out from behind the statue.

“Nice shag?” asked Tracy nonchalantly

Hermione blushed “we weren’t shagging”

Tracy rolled her eyes “Of course not, Potter was just buckling his belt after taking a dump in the closet.”

Hermione’s blush deepened “We were gathering ingredients for a ritual if you must know”

“Ah” interrupted Daphne “Your birthday is tomorrow if I recall correctly, going to be doing one of _those_ rituals then? It explains the jar of white stuff.”

Tracy smirked “Woah, blowing the boy who lived in a cupboard? Who knew the brightest witch of her age was such a nympho”

“I was not _blowing_ Harry I was… never you mind.”

Harry looked suspiciously between the two Slytherins before speaking “What do you two want?”

Daphne raised a finger to Tracy’s lips before she could speak before looking Potter over analytically “We want to watch tomorrow”

“Absolutely not” Hermione huffed “It’ll be my fir…” she started before stopping herself

Tracy’s smirk grew into a grin “Yours too Potter?”

The boy, no scratch that, young man looked over the two Slytherin witches cautiously before nodding.

Daphne held up her hands “Peace,” she stated

Her mind cycled through the various ways to approach her goal. Blackmailing them by threatening to tell a professor in order to get them to allow her to observe? No ideally she wanted an amenable relationship with potter. Tell them that she needed a consort for the future of her house and potter seems the most palatable? Somewhat true but how possessive Granger was about potter was unknown. Ritual witness in case things go wrong? A decent excuse but she was a Slytherin they would expect her to seek her own benefit. A combination of the second and third it was then.

Daphne nodded to herself “You should be aware Granger that the recommendation is that rituals should always have a non participant present when performed? You need someone to help you out if something negative should come to pass.”

The expression on Granger’s face told Daphne that she was aware of this, why didn’t she have someone to help? Ah, she didn’t trust anyone for the position.

“You obviously haven’t told anyone what you are planning, that Tracy and I are the only two people other than yourselves that know. Wouldn’t you rather a couple of women were present rather than Weasley?

The expressions on Potter and Granger’s face made it abundantly clear they agreed with her on that at least, Granger in particular looked outraged at the idea of Weasley being present. The expression on Granger’s face morphed into suspicion “why do you want to help?”

“Potter,” Daphne said gesturing to the young man in question before turning back to Granger “I need a consort for my future, I have considered the students here and frankly he’s the most suitable. What?”

“But…” Hermione started

Daphne cut her off “I chose my words carefully Granger, a _consort_ not a husband; Harry Potter would in this scenario still be free to marry whomever he chooses. It is an open secret amongst the houses in the know that Harry Potter is an heir to both his house and one of the dormant hereditary seats on the Wizingamot, and as such legally counts as two different individuals. Likely that means _needing_ two different wives, he’d be able to consort himself to other houses on top of that.”

Harry looked at Hermione and the two of them seemed to have a conversation entirely with their eyes.

Daphne continued “Tomorrow I want to watch to see if I wish to pursue Harry as my consort or not, that’s all.”

Hermione looked somewhat converted, not fully obviously, but the comment about Potter being the most suitable male in the school seemed to have sold the idea to her. Potter though still looked dubious; Daphne thought it would have the other way around. Should she lay all the cards on the table to get Potter on side? He seemed the type that would do all sorts to help people. No laying _all_ the cards would look suspicious, most of the cards then; Granger was clever she’d be able to work out the final piece of the puzzle.

“Speaking theoretically if I do pursue you and it all goes well Granger ends up Mrs Potter, Tracy ends up Mrs second house and I end up with a suitable father for my children. Anyway, conducting a ritual without people outside the ritual in case of an emergency is foolish in the extreme.”

Hermione worried her lip for a moment “that’s not too bad I suppose, Harry?”

Harry looked disbelievingly at his best friend “You want me to marry Tracy Davis?” before Hermione could reply he turned back to Daphne “You’re going to explain what this two houses thing is, yeah?”

Interesting, he didn’t know. “If you wish” Daphne sniffed

“Oh, I see” Hermione exclaimed clapping her hands together, and looking far too smug “You two are together, due to the lack of social acceptance of your relationship you can cover that up if you are both with Harry.”

Daphne gave Hermione a cool expression; she had worked out the final piece as Daphne had hoped. However, she couldn’t be too enthusiastic over the fact or it wouldn’t sell properly “I can see why you aren’t in Slytherin Granger; you shouldn’t give away unnecessary information”

“By the way, you two know that the way your birth affects rituals is governed by the Solar Year rather than the Calendar year, correct?”

Granger nodded.

“Good, tomorrow or the day after then for the ritual?”

“I was thinking after dinner tomorrow, um, in an empty classroom”

Tracy interrupted the two of them “Oh, there’s a better option further along this corridor, across from the painting of Barnabas the Barmy”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure whether this should be tagged Explicit or Mature. Advice please?


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